30-year veteran of Detroit Police Department gets prison for taking bribes
DETROIT - A former Detroit Police Department will spend time in prison for taking $3,200 in cash bribes. Alonzo Jones, 55, of Detroit, was sentenced to 15 months in prison and two years of supervised release based on his plea of guilty to accepting bribes, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced Tuesday. Michael Stout, 60, of St. Clair Shores, who left the Hamtramck Police Department in 2020, was charged with bribery in March. In December 2021, Michael Pacteles, 44, of Southgate, a former Detroit police officer who was working as an officer in Hamtramck, was charged with bribery. In September 2021, Detroit City Council member Andre Spivey pleaded guilty to accepting bribes related to oversight of towing policy; he later resigned.
mlive.comFormer Michigan police officer accused of taking bribes from towing company
While working as an officer in Hamtramck, Stout is accused of accepting bribes, including a vehicle and $1,500 in cash, from a towing company operator. In return, Stout allegedly provided information from the Michigan Law Enforcement Information Network, or LEIN, a restricted law enforcement database, to the towing company operator. For instance, when the towing company operator told Stout that he was worried that a police vehicle had been following him, Stout allegedly called an unwitting police department employee to search LEIN. Stout then allegedly provided the vehicle’s registration information to the towing company operator. In September, Detroit City Council member Andre Spivey pleaded guilty to accepting bribes related to oversight of towing policy; he later resigned.
mlive.comBoth sides await sentencing for former Detroit City Council member Andre Spivey
As we inch closer to sentencing for former Detroit City Council member Andre Spivey, one of the most significant deciding factors in how severe his sentencing will be is how much he’s cooperated with the FBI during this investigation.
Former Detroit Police Officer Pleads Guilty To Accepting Bribes, 4th Charged In Towing Corruption Probe
Officials say Alonzo Jones is the fourth person charged as part of an investigation known as "Operation Northern Hook," which looks into corruption within the government and police department in Detroit related to the towing industry.
detroit.cbslocal.comDetroit reforms in response to deep corruption in towing with Police and City Council members
Detroit Police Chief James White today announced 4 reforms designed to eliminate corruption connected to the multimillion-dollar towing industry in the city. A new smartphone app will be developed for people to request towing services, know who’s responding and how much it will cost them. Two other City Council members were raided by the feds this year and implicated but not charged. Operation Clean Sweep is now over according to Chief White. Warrant requests for charges have been submitted for 8 cops for overtime fraud but 5 cops face more serious embezzlement and conspiracy charges.
wxyz.comDetroit councilman pleads guilty to accepting bribes worth $35K
DETROIT -- Detroit City Councilman Andre Spivey faces up to five years in prison after he pleaded guilty Tuesday to a charge of bribery conspiracy after he accepted bribes in connection to city towing oversight. Spivey has served on council since 2009 and began accepting the bribes in 2018, according to the Department of Justice. “Unfortunately, we continue to see corruption by Detroit public officials that erodes the public’s trust in government and undermines the City’s effort to move Detroit forward,” said Timothy Waters, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. Spivey has been cooperating with the investigation, according to his attorney. “The people of Detroit deserve a city government free of corruption and pay-to-play politics,” said acting United States Attorney Mohsin.
mlive.comVirgil C. Smith, retired judge and ex-state lawmaker, vies for Detroit City Council seat
Wayne County Circuit CourtVirgil C. SmithVirgil C. Smith, a former state lawmaker and retired Wayne County Circuit Court judge, plans to run for a seat on the Detroit City Council.The 73-year-old told The Detroit News he is running for the District 4 seat held by Councilman Andre Spivey, who plans to run for an at-large council seat in the August primary election. The district borders Harper Woods and the Grosse Pointes and includes East English Village on the city’s east side.Smith already has competition. Elrick and Spivey’s chief of staff Keith Jones also plan to run.Smith served in the state House of Representatives from 1977 to 1988 and the Michigan Senate from 1988 to 2000. In 1995, Smith became the first Black floor leader in the Senate.Gov. Jennifer Granholm appointed Smith to the Wayne County Circuit Court in 2004, and he became the chief judge of the 3rd Circuit in 2009.A 1965 graduate of Pershing High School, Smith has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Michigan State University and a law degree from Wayne State University.“I think the city could use my experience and history,” Smith told.
metrotimes.comFormer Lions Players Donate Food Boxes In Detroit
(CBS DETROIT) – Detroit City Councilman Andre Spivey and former Detroit Lions players Calvin Johnson and Rob Sims took part in an effort Monday to get food in the hands of those in need just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday. “This is one of the biggest days of the year when you bring people together family and friends and due to the economy, some people may not be able. Cars lined-up down Connor Avenue on Detroit’s east side for the curb-side service where people stopped by for a free turkey and all the trimmings for Thanksgiving. “We have a lot of issues in this world. Detroit D4 Project “Giving Thanks” was made possible by community sponsors looking to help Detroit families get the food they need to prepare a holiday dinner at home at no cost.
detroit.cbslocal.comOpponents of facial recognition technology in Detroit are not giving up without a fight
click to enlarge Steve NeavlingDPD Chief James Craig inside the city's Real Time Crime Center at police headquarters. Spivey said last week that people opposed to facial recognition have “read too much sci-fi.” Actually councilmember, we want our communities to live free of racist surveillance tech. DataWorks agreed to extend its service contract through Sept. 30. But even if the council rejects a new contract, city officials can continue using the technology. Now, the city is installing high-definition cameras at roughly 500 intersections at a time when other cities are scaling back because of privacy concerns.
metrotimes.comIntersection dividing Detroit, Grosse Pointe Park will open to 2-way travel
Detroit and Grosse Pointe Park have been discussing the change for the better part of a year and a half. Helen Denys calls the Grosse Pointe Park business district home. Her store, Best Way, sits in the heart of Grosse Pointe Park. The one thing in her view is a roundabout that borders the city of Grosse Pointe Park and Detroit. Both Grosse Pointe Park and Detroit said its time to break down those barriers.
Detroit in state of financial emergency according to Gov. Snyder
DETROIT – While everyone agrees there is a mess, no one in the Detroit power structure wants an emergency financial manager. Rick Snyder declared a financial emergency in Detroit, a determination that could lead to the appointment of an emergency manager over the city's finances. Read: Michigan governor declares financial emergency in DetroitNow, the City Council looks to its options. However, sources say the nature of the emergency in Detroit is so severe that there is a real possibility an emergency financial manager won't be enough. Realists on the City Council say they don't see Gov.